LINCOLN — The State of Nebraska has charged State Sen. Dan McKeon of Amherst with “disturbing the peace,” a slight downgrade in criminal allegation from the public indecency citation he received in October. Court documents filed late Monday show the freshman senator now faces a Class III misdemeanor charge, with McKeon’s arraignment originally scheduled Wednesday in Lancaster County Court. However, the hearing was postponed to Dec. 17 after the judge refused McKeon’s attempt to enter a no contest plea by waiver without appearing in person.
McKeon’s attorney Perry Pirsch said McKeon will likely plead no contest, which would allow him to accept any coming penalties without admitting guilt, and would waive his right to a trial.
The Nebraska State Patrol cited McKeon for misdemeanor public indecency in late October after investigating an allegation by a legislative staffer attending an end-of-session party this spring in Lincoln. The Patrol received a report in early September that McKeon allegedly “made inappropriate contact with her buttocks with his hand, over the top of her clothing,” Patrol spokesman Cody Thomas said at the time.